Toy



5. L. BEDER TOY Filed NOV. 19, 1945 INVENTOR Patented July 5, 1949 TOY Samuel L. Beder, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Irwin F. Mills Associates, New York,

Application November 19, 1945, Serial No. 629,642

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in toys and more particularl to instructive toys for children just emerging from infancy, whereby the thinking process is idly and playfully stimulated to a welcome degree.

One of the objects thereof is to make the socalled jig-saw puzzle idea lend itself towards furnishing something attractive, entertaining or amusing to children who have reached an inquisitive hand manipulatable age.

Another object thereof is to provide a structural figure toy simple in design, elemental in suggestiveness and inexpensive in construction which requires piecing together on the stacking principle with more or less dependence on selectivity and assorting in the piecemeal fashioning of the toy.

A further object thereof is to provide a symmetrical toy figure composed of disjointed parts or segments centrally so as to require arrangement into matching, mating and interfitting or nesting assemblies for abutting surfaces, the underlying thought and purpose being to inculcate in the childs toy-erecting activity confidence in its own ability to use judgment and imagination in erecting the toy figure.

Another object is to provide concealable means for holding all parts of the erectable toy unit together in sized assembly upon a suitable stand in pedestal fashion.

A still further object is to provide some degree of elusiveness in the manner of erecting the knockdown toy figure by imparting a puzzle quality in the particular that the abutting edges of" the component segments of the toy figure have irregular shapes to provide mating dovetail joints, all of which require piecing together properly in order to complete the erection of the composite figure.

A final object thereof is to reduce the trial and error attempts of the child to piece together properly the toy figure segments to a reasonable number by causing all the mortised or jointed parts of the entire series of segments to be pieces so as to provide registerable boxes or holes to permit the segments progressively to he slid down embracingly around a rod or pole which.extends above the base portion which supports the toy figure. This assures that when all of the boxes of all segments do register in a tight fitting solid figure unit, that they have been properly pieced together.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the respective views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toy figure the erection of which in piecemeal fashion is to appear hereinafter, partly broken away in section.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1 but illustrated as a compositely sectional unit.

Figure 3 is a modification of Figure 2 showing different mortise joints.

Figure 4 is another modification of the sectional toy figure.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an end sectional elevation of the parts of Figure 3 taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings which are merely illustrative of my invention, the stand provided is designed to afiord a pedestal upon which to erect the knockdown toy figure. Any realistic or grotesque shape can be imparted to the composite toy figure, Figures 2 and 3 showing a human figure design, while 4 and 5 show an animal figure design. For use in connection with kindergarten work such forms lend themselves to a nicety of conception in accordance with the relatings of nursery rhymes, and for this purpose a pedestal or stick II has its lower end firmly anchored in the base portion H] of the stand so different assemblies of toy figures may be erected in surmounted relationship upon this rod.

The toy figure usually will include head and feet to enhance the attractive efiect. The component sections or segments of the figure may consist of any number of parts assuming any variety of irregular shapes, provided that only simple elemental joints are furnished for dovetailing, considering that the age of the children for Whom it is intended will range from two and one-half years to 6 ordinarily. Thus the figure sections typical of my invention are shown in Figure 3 where right angular and scolloped joints are made use of as the media enabling the child to take the toy apart in sections and erect it again. These complemental segments are designated I4, [5, IS, IT, l8. I9, 20, 2|, 22. The feet or foot section is designated 23 and the head section is designated l3. It will be seen from inspection of either Figures 2 or 3 that some sections are cut on a bias, have wavy lines, have sockets for the partial or entire reception of other sections in the manner common to jig saw puzzles. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that I contemplate boring each figure section to make a hole 25 therein but locate each hole in each section directly in the mortise-jointable part thereof as illustrated at B. C. D. E. in Figure 2. In other words when all holes 25 of all figure sections register the rod II can pass into them as they are progressively mounted upon the rod. This assures that all sections have been fitted together in piecemeal fashion accurately. Hence the child is afforded a clue where to place the segments in relation to the rod and to one another. But it is still necessary to use judg ment and care in assembling the segments or they will not abut flatwise or in dovetail relationship with one another necessary to build up a solid formation for the toy figure.

The upper free end of the rod I I may be screw threaded as at 24this is the. end where the head piece 13 is to be located and accordingly the head 'piece is formed with a screw-threaded internal bore and serves the purpose of a screw cap. It will now be seen that when the head piece 13 is screwed home on the threaded end 24 of the rod, that it will clamp all assembled sections rigidly yet removably together, the feet 23 formed upon the lowermost section l4 resting directly upon the base member 10-.

Figures 4 and illustrate a modification of the figure design. A wheeled toy is here contemplated. The carriage body proper constitutes the base portion l0, while wheels [2 are operatively mounted thereupon. Attractiveness is enhanced for impressionable children by attaching a stool 26 upon the carriage body, as shown, and causing the elephant figure to rest with its front feet thereupon in a posing position. The stool carries one perpendicularly extending rod and the rear of the carriage carries another rod II. The elephant body section 21 is not bored through but is formed with rod receiving sockets so when the body portion 21 is properly manipulated the rods H can be fitted into these sockets and properly surmount the parts of the animal figure accordingly. The front leg portion 28 of the elephant is intersected by the rod receiving socket because this is the part that makes an abutting joint with the stool. The elephant figure can be removed and a human figure unit sectionally mounted on one or on each rod on the carriage. The rod ll may be formed polygonal if desired to prevent the segments of' any figure rotating thereon, in which case the bores in the sections will be correspondingly made polygonal-for a proper interfit.

As a result of the foregoing a variety of entertaming toy fi ures can be erected by stacking properly shaped several pieces making it up upon a rod or dowel pin. The several component sections will have surfaces which, when joined to surfaces of mating sections contribute to give a symmetrical outline to the perimeter of the composite toy figure unit when properly erected. All sections are ordinarily superimposed in surmounted relationship which call for under supports. The toy figures will have fiat sides whereever possible which will be painted to display realistically the intended impersonation employing the exclusive puzzle feature in connection with the toy erection feature is done with a View to promotion of usefully instructive tendencies in child education as well as with the view of keeping the child innocently occupied. The toy placed before the child is fully set up or erected. The dowel pinion rod runs through the center of the fully assembled figure so the sections can be easily pulled off from the rod and set down in an assembly of disjointed pieces ready to be properly watched and interfitted. Recollection of what the figure looked like will necessarily work up the childs imagination in reassembling the varied sections, the idea of centering each piece for insertion around the rod will prevail prominently in the childs mind at all times,

v and by observation and experience, coupled with variation-s falling within the purview of the appended claim.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

Composite sectional but rigid toy figure comprising a base stand having an upright rod of polygonal cross-section anchored thereon rigidly, which rod has its uppermost end cylindrical and screw-threaded, a plurality of irregularly-shaped and irregularly interfitted toy figure blocks for placement upon or separation from one another,

surmountingly, all but the topmost of said figure blocks having central polygonal bores through which said polygonal rod projects so as to rigidly hold all blocks against rotation upon said rod; the uppermost block, shaped to the configuration of a figure head having an internal cylindrical screw-threaded bore, being the only one of said. blocks having a cylindrical movement upon said rod, and designed to exert pressure contactingly against all of the blocks therebelow so as to be held itself in rigid position relative to said rod and surmounted blocks; all'of said blocks at least at a point below the middle of said rod gradually diverging in width towards the base stand, and

a pair of lugs depending from the lowermost block, shaped to resemble feet, said lugs extending transversely of said blocks, rest upon said stand so as to support all blocks in spaced relation from said stand and so as to straddle said rod to thereby form with said rod a three-point anchorage for all blocks upon said stand.

SAMUEL L. BEDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

